The “Casu Marzu”, Rare Cheese Is Infested With Live Maggots

“Casu marzu” literally means “rotten cheese,” but in Sardinia, it’s a glory to behold. What starts off as a regular wheel of pecorino is then visited by cheese flies that lay their eggs inside, giving the formaggio its signature zing.

But, with a nickname like “the world’s most dangerous cheese,” you can be sure that along with the cheese comes some risky business./Great Big Story

Still, a handful of artisans continue to produce the traditional cheese, cementing its status in Sardinian culture.

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These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese’s fats. The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid seeping out./wikipedia